Pantie girdle



E. C. CLARK PANTIE GIRDLE Nov. 28, 1944.

Filed Feb. 29, 1944 IN V ENTO R 51 12/1557 6 (Z/Mh BY MPW ATTORN EYSUNITED Patented Nov. 28, 1944 PANTIE GIRDLE Elisabeth 0. Clark, New YorkN. Y. Application uary 29,1944, Serial No. 524,347 p 3 Claims. (01.21-43) This invention relates-to feminine under arments and is directedmore particularly toan improvement in the, class of undergarments knownin the trade as pantie girdles,that isja combined foundation orsupporting garment and ainether garment which affords abdominal supeport while also covering and protecting the crotcharea.

One of the principal objections and drawbacks this class of garments hasbeen the difficulty andinconvenience experienced by the wearers byhaving to lower the garment for functional purposes and tosubsequentlyraise said garment and readjust the outer clothing thereoveran d,while some. attempts have been made to provide a :proper means forclosing the same to cover and.

protectthe crotch area.

In order to overcome the above recited objections and disadvantages, thepresent invention comprehends an improved pantie girdle which is soconstructed as to provide a relatively large convenience opening in thecrotch portion there-. i

01' together with means for completely closing said opening, to coverand protect the crotch edges located within the open confronting innersides of the leg portions and secured thereto at the front and rearedges thereof to the front and rear edges of the leg portions with theupper concave edges unsecured to provide a relatively large convenienceopening and a covering flap corresponding approximately in size andshape to that of the gore pieces and secured at its upper concave edgeto the upper concave edge of one of the gore pieces with detachablemeans connecting the covering flap in overlying relation to the othergore piece so as to close said convenience opening,

With the above enumerated and other objects in view, the inventionis setforth in greater detail in the following specification, particularlypointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a pantie girdle constructed in accordance withthe invention and illustrating the cover flap in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the cover flap in open position..i i

Fig. 3 is a side view of the garment with one of the leg portions turnedupwardly and illustrating the cover flap in open position.

Fig. 4is a sectional view taken approximatel on the line 44 of Fig. 1. i

Referring to the drawing b characters of reference the garment, includesan abdominal embracing member I!) which may be of any desired fabric andso constructed and reinforced as to provide the necessary fit andrequired support. The member ID includes preferably integral de pendingleg portions ll of the same material or an equivalent fabric to that ofthe said member l0. Each of the leg portions II is fashioned or designedso as to cover and snugly fit around the front, rear and outer sidesurfaces of the legs whereby said leg portions 'll ar open at the innerconfronting sides and which open inner sides are defined by front andrear edges l2 and [3 which, as shown, preferably converge. downwardlywith reference to each other.

Gore pieces or gussets l4 and I5, preferably of a softer and moreflexible fabric than the member Ill and-leg partions II, are insertedand secured within the inner confronting open sides of the leg portionsof the'garment and, as illus trated in the drawing, said. gore pieces orgussets each have a concave upper edge I6, front and rear edges I1 andI8 which converge downwardly and a substantially straight lower edge [9.

The front and rear side edges Hand l8 of the gore pieces M and I5 arerespectively secured in any desired manner to the front and rear edgesl2 and I3 of the leg portions ll so thatthe lower edges l9 of the gorepieces are substantially flush with the lower edges of the leg portionsll while the upper concave edges I6 of said gore. pieces I4 and I5remain free and unsecured to define a relatively large convenienceopening 20.

In orderto normally close the convenience opening 20 for covering andprotecting the crotch area, a cover flap 2| is provided which consistsof a piece of fabric corresponding approximately in size and shape toand preferably of the same material as the gusset or gore pieces l4 andI5. As shown, the flap 2| is formed with a concave upper edge 22, frontand rear edges 23 and 24 and a substantiallystraight lower edge 25, theupperconcave edge 22 thereof being secured to the concave upper edge l6of one of the gore pieces, in the present disclosure the gore piece M ofthe right leg portion I I.

1. A pantie girdle including a relatively inflex ible abdominalembracing and supporting body member having depending leg portions eachof which cover the front rear and side surfaces of the legs and whichare open at the inner confronting sides thereof to define downwardlyconvergent front and rear side edges, gore pieces of relatively softermore flexible material than the body member and each having a concaveupper edge and downwardly convergent front and rear edges, said gorepieces being respectively disposed within the open confronting innersides of the leg portions and permanently secured at the front, and rearedges thereof to the front and rear edges of the openings at the innerconfronting sides of the leg portions with the upper concave edges ofsaid gore pieces free and unsecured to provide a relatively largeconvenience opening, .a cover flap of relatively softer and moreflexible material corresponding approximately in size and shape to saidgore pieces and permanently secured at its upper concave edgeto theupper concave edge of one of the gore pieces with the remaining edgesfree and unsecured, and detachable means for connecting the side edgesof the cover flap tothe side edges of and in overlying relation with theother gore piece to close said convenience opening.

2. In a combined foundation and nether garment, an abdominal embracingand supporting member of relatively inflexible material, substantiallysemi-annular integral leg portions depending therefrom and having innerconfronting cutaway crotch areas, gufiset pieces-of a softer moreflexible material permanently secured within the cutaway crotch areas tocomplete each of the leg portions and to cover the adjacent uncoveredportions of the legs of the wearer, the

upper edges of said gusset pieces being free and unsecured to define aconvenience opening of relatively large size, a cover flap permanentlysecured at its upper edge to the upper edge of one of the gusset piecesand depending therefrom I with the remaining edges free and unsecured,and detachable means for retaining said cover flap in covering relationto the other gusset piece to close the convenience opening.

below the crotch of the wearer with the'front and rear of the lowerportion of said member notched upwardly from the lower edge to define apair of separated semi-annular leg, covering portions extending aroundthefront and rear and outer side surfaces of the legs, and a crotchstructure including a pair of gusset inserts of'a softer and moreflexible material than said member permanently secured at the verticaledges thereof to vertical edges of the leg covering portionsrespectively so as to complete the same and extend around the uncoveredinnerside surface of the legs with the upper edges of the gusset insertsbeing free from and unsecured to each other for defining a convenienceopening ofrelatively large-size, and a cover flap permanently secured atits upper edge to the upper edge of one of the gusset inserts and withthe remaining edges free and unsecured, said flap being adapted to bedetachably secured in overlying relation to the other gusset insert forclosing the convenience opening. w 1

ELIZABETH C.- CLARK.-

